Philippe Ricard

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Biden Administration, collective self-defense, France, France, Germany, Individual and collective self-defense, international humanitarian law, International Law, Joe Biden, public diplomacy, Rule of Law, Russia, Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian invasion of Ukraine, self-defense, State Department, State Department Legal Adviser, threat of the use of force, U.N. Charter, U.S. Intervention, U.S. Military, Ukraine, use of force, Vladimir Putin, war crimes May 11, 2022

Ukraine War, May 11, 2022 (I): Spinning leaked revelations about intelligence sharing, U.S. officials evidence continued confusion about international law; Azovstal steelworks fighters plead for evacuation of wounded; France and Germany push back on American war aims; U.S. should limit war aims to requirements of U.N. Charter and international law

Developing. We are publishing this article as it is being written. Please check back for updates. To see a list of previous articles, enter “Ukraine”…

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Dictatorship, foreign news coverage, France, France, human rights, Intelligence, International Law, Qatar, Qatar, Rule of Law, Saudi Arabia, targeted assassinations, Totalitarian regimes, UAE, united arab emirates December 2, 2021

French President Macron breaks ranks, meets with MBS in Saudi Arabia

French President Emmanuel Macron is breaking ranks with Western leaders, including President Joe Biden, and planning to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) on December 4, on a trip to the Gulf countries of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
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Whatever France’s interests may be in dealing with Saudi Arabia, Macron is sacrificing any claim France might have to be a leader in the struggle for human rights and the rule of law, including international law, by meeting with the Crown Prince–who is widely known to be Kashoggi’s assassin.

The great threat to France and the West is that MBS may become the next King of Saudi Arabia, perpetuating an authoritarian system of government characterized by gross violations of human rights, the oppression of women, and a total absence of due process of law.

Instead of meeting with MBS, Macron and France, the U.S., and other democratic countries should be shunning MBS and doing everything they can to prevent him from becoming king.